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Friday, March 12, 2010

My Muse

The muse, she is back. I spent the morning finishing up a pair of white barefoot sandals, but as soon as they were done I went off on a very small project. I had this earring from high school who had no pair and it was a nice goth looking piece. I though it would be neat to fame it in tatting and make a nice one of a kind piece. I had attached the earring poorly, so after I decided that the pendant was good, I cut it out to start again. This is the point where my two year old claimed the earring as her own. So I thought I'd make the piece and then attach it with a jump ring...no dice. After it was made, I decided to change the center entirely and got a much different final piece.

This is quite an easy piece really, but after I posted it to my facebook page I received a request for the pattern. I had no idea how to write the dang thing down as I had experimented with Victorian sets for the piece. The center ring consists of sets with a picot between each of them. The outside then is simple chains, but how to write that down so someone not living in my brain knows what I'm talking about. I have of course heard of the Victorian sets by a few names, even seen examples of them, but I have never seen them in a pattern. So I headed over to intatters to ask them how on bloody earth to write this out and it seems that I am not alone in my query, but a proper solution did present itself that made sense to most, so I shall get that written up for the requester.

Once that was hashed out I took to the larger project on my to do list, the collar piece. So here's the basic concept. Take my throat corset and marry it to my most recent large collar/choker. Placed together on my mannequin head, it seems a simple task. Of course upon closer inspection, it is drama. Okay, maybe not that bad, but there will be a host of modifications to each individual section to make them happy together. The first of which is a complete redesign of the throat corset so that bottom clovers are now also the top clovers of the necklace portion. This means that each motif of the corset must be longer and I must also come up with a new way to attach them to each other as there must now be a space between them. I'm toying with the idea of using actual chains or ribbons to attach them, but there may end up being a proper tatting solution in the end. Right now, I'm making the modified motifs from the corset section and then I will redesign the necklace portion to attach. Unlike the necklace shown, this one will have points all the way around and the bottom edge will also fill in a bit between the points in a sort of bat wing shape.

Obviously, this is a long term project, so I'll keep taking pictures and sharing the progress with you. I decided to go ahead and do the first one as a prototype in black and then the final piece may add some bead work and embellishments, but I want to get the pattern established first. Might even write it down this time. What? It could happen.

11 comments:

Yay for muses! I love the new necklace design, it reminds me of a Victorian cameo somewhat (well, really it reminds of of the cameo style chocolate in a box of Laura Secord's but I couldn't say why that sprung to mind, I must just be craving chocolate).

Sounds like you have a heck of a project to work on, looking forward to seeing the process!

Lately I was teaching Victorian sets to my Spanish-speaking tatters and this is how we write them down. First we make a note of how many half stitches has the set. For example: 1 set= 3 1st half stitch and 3 2nd half stitch. Then we write the pattern as make 3 sets - 3 sets.

I think you are driven woman! LOL! The most common way I've seen sets designated is to use the word "sets", ["x" number of 3/3 sets] or 4/4 sets or however many stitches, but you almost always have to explain that a set consists of a number of 1st half stitches followed by an equal number of 2nd half stitches. I don't think that would be any different in needle tatting.

psOh, I guess a clearer way would be x number of 3:3 sets because the slash is usually associated with split rings or chains, but it is also the most common way I've seen it after an explanation of what a set stitch, Victorian set stitch, ric rac stitch, zigzag stitch (way too many names!)is.

I enjoy following the development of your creations although they are not really "my style" they are fun. I have have been bothered by one of your pieces, though. It was pointed out by another blogger who doesn't feel it is up to her to bring it to your attention but I think someone needs to. You have a piece on your Etsy site called "Key to My Heart" The heart, itself is exactly like one designed by Betsy Evans for her "Rainbow Heart Bookmark." As zealous as you are about protecting the integrity of your work (rightfully, in my opinion) I think you should give credit to Betsy for her work. I'm sure it's just an oversight on your part and I'm sure you will want to quickly rectify the situation. It's a beautiful piece, BYW, and actually "my style."

Thanks so much everyone for the writing help. I think I might post the pattern up on Mondays blog for everyone.

You know what Beelizabeth, that has bugged me for a while too...I found the pattern early in my tatting & was not able to find it again to properly credit it. I was kind of hoping one day to get called out by the designer so I would know who it was. I will absolutely add her name to my listings as I never claimed the pattern as original & I truly hope my adaptation hasn't caused anyone stress!